Study Resources for the Nursing Student

The amount of material that is taught during a lecture can be overwhelming. Professors have limited time to teach and many times students walk out of class over loaded and confused. I know personally I have felt like I just walked into a tornado and barely came out the other end. Many times I walk out and ask myself “what the crap just happened?!” and my head feels like it is gonna explode. After each lecture I make it a goal to either that same day or within 48 hours review the material. I personally record the lectures because I miss things that are said in class. This helps me a lot but sometimes I am still confused on the topic and need more clarification. And lets face the fact that some professors just are not good at explaining topics. So where to do you turn when you need more clarification? The internet has tons of resources and there are some great books available but you need to make sure you find what works best for you. I like to use a combination of reading, videos and graphics. Here are my top go to resources that have helped me so far on my nursing school journey. Just click on the title to be taken to the link. Some of these resources are free but some cost money.

Registered Nurse RN
This website is by far my favorite resource. This site covers everything with videos, nursing care plans, nursing skills and quizzes. You name it and you can find it here. Topics are broken down to make them simple and easy to understand. This site is great for both students and registered nurses. Plus all the resources on this site are free.

Khan AcademyThis site has simple explanations and the best drawings. Yes, I love the drawings on the tutorials. If you are a visual learner then I highly recommend Khan Academy. They break down the topic so they are simple to understand and actually make sense. Again everything on this site is free to use.

Saunders Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN Examination
This book has everything you need to prepare you for the NCLEX and nursing school exams. It covers everything!! The book contains complete content review and over 5,100 NCLEX examination-style questions in the book and online. I will say that this book is not cheap! So look around for the best price possible before you spend $50 on this book. You can find it cheaper. I was lucky to have a classmate who brought an online version and sent me the link and I was able to download it for free.

Lippincott Q&A Review for NCLEX-RN
Another book that I am constantly using for nursing school. It is perfect to use as a study guide and complete the practice tests for preparing for faculty-made examinations. This book covers everything from obstetrics, pediatrics, medical-surgical, and mental health nursing. Another great suggestion to get books cheaper is see if you can find previous students who are selling their old books. I was able to get this book for $20 from a recent graduate at my college.

ATI RN Mentor- NCLEX Prep
This is a free app I use on my phone. My college uses ATI as a nursing school resource. This app is great if your college uses ATI or even if they do not. Any practice is good practice. The app allows you to personalize quizzes by NCLEX area, body function and clinical area. It is perfect to use on the go and it has rationale for each question.

So there you have it! My top five resources that I personally use and recommend for nursing school. They are all helpful and will help you build a strong foundation as you move further along in your program and as you prepare to sit for your boards.